Extensible connecter



Dec. 15, 1936. 1. 'KRElSLER ET AL 2,064,760

EXTENSIBLE CONNECTER Filed March 13, 1956 J; 1h15 5 f ATTORNEY Patented Dec. l5, 1936 EXTENSIBLE CONNECTER Jacques Kreisler, New Rochelle, and Lesue Kreisler, New York, N. Y., assignors to Jacques Kreisler Sales Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 13, 193s, serial No. 68,604

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to extensible connecters for bracelets, wrist watch straps, wrist bands, and the like.

The extensible connecters, with which the present invention is more particularly concerned, is of the type which comprises a plurality of sections which are pivotally connected together in foldable relation, and in which one of the sections, usually the keeper or housing section, comprises relatively slidable members. Connecters of this type may be readily adjusted to increase or decrease the circumferential length of bracelets provided therewith, a major adjustment being obtained by folding and unfolding said sections and' a final adjustment being obtained by relative movement between the keeper and the member `slidable therein.

Heretofore, the adjustment of the slidable member in relation to the keeper has been obtained in several ways, none of which has proved entirely satisfactory. For example, in one proposed con--l struction the member slidable in the keeper is adjustable to reduce the encircling size of the bracelet when the other sections of the keeper are in folded relation, but lcannot be moved to increase the encircling size of the bracelet unless the other sections are wholly or partially unfolded. In connecters of certain other constructions, provision has been made to permit adjustment of the slidable member for both increasing and decreasing the size of the bracelet regardless of whether the other sections of the bracelet are folded or unfolded. However, in said last mentioned constructions, it is necessary in order to adjust the slidable members in relation to each other to'provide special means for releasing the relatively slidable members. The provision of such means is objectionablebecause, among other things, it complicates the construction of the connecter, involves additional elements, and necessitates the provision of slots or other openings in the side walls of the housing member.

One of the objects of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an extensible connecter of the foldable and slidable link type in which the slidable links can be adjusted in both directions, that is, for increasing and decreasing the size of the bracelet, without unfolding the pivotally connected links, without the provision of additional releasing mechanisms, and Without providing slots or other openings in the housing member of the connecter.

Another object of the invention is to provide an extensible connecter comprising foldable links with vmeans for positively locking the pivotally connected links in folded position.

A further object is the provision of an extensible connecter of the foldable and slidable link type in which the foldable links are locked in folded position under the control of the relatively slidable links.

A yet further object of the invention is generally to simplify the construction and operation of extensible connecters of the class described.

The above objects of the invention and other objects ancillary thereto will best be understood from the following description considered with reference to the accompanyirig drawing forming 'a part of the present specification;

In the drawing: 4

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the connecter in folded condition with the relatively slidable members in fully contracted relation;

Fig. 2 isfa bottom perspective .view of the connecter -in unfolded condition and with the relatively slidable members in fully extended position; v

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view, on an enlarged scale and partly in section, of one of the slidable members and a part of the other slidable member;

Fig. 4 is'a fragmentary lperspective view, on an enlarged saleand with parts broken'. away, illustrating the arrangement for locking the pivotally connected members in folded position;

, Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 6 5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3:

, Fig. 7 is a sectional view on the line I--'I of tion I4 is arranged to fold within the-section .I'B'

about the pivot 20 and said sections i4 and i8 are constructed and arranged to fold within the secnel member having side walls 24 which are provided with inturned edge portions 28 forming a guide for the slidable section Il which has a longitudinal curvature similar to that of said keep- The slidable section Il'comprises a U-shaped channel member having its closed end 28 disposed at all times within the keeper I2 and having its free end 30 disposed at all times externally of said keeper. The legs of the U-shaped member are integral with the closed end portion 28 and comprise spaced front walls 32 and 34 having side walls 38 and 38, respectively. Said side walls 38 and 38 are provided with inturned edge portions 40 and 42, respectively, which together with said side walls and the front walls 32 and 34 form channels.

The U-shaped member I8 is made of spring metal and the legs of said member may be resiliently bent toward each other. The closed end portion 28 of said U-shaped member is provided with a cut-out 44 adjacent one leg of said U-shaped member to increase the resiliency of the latter in relation to other parts of said member. In accordance with the present invention,

provision is made for releasably engaging theA memberv I8 with the keeper I2 to permit relative adjustment thereof independently of the foldable sections I4 and I6 of the connecter. pose, interengaging means are provided on the keeper I2 and on the member I8, respectively, in the form of pawl and ratchet elements which are provided on the keeper I2 and on the member I8, respectively. As here shown, the end of the side wall 24, remote from the pivot 22, is provided with an inturned portion 48 forming a pawl or detent which engages in one of a plurality of spaced recesses or openings 48 of the ratchet formed in the side wall 36 of the member I8. Thus, as will be readily apparent, when the member I8 is moved inwardly of the keeper I2 from the position illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 toward the end of the keeper to which the sections I4 and I8 are pivoted, the detent 46 will engage the side wall 38 vof the member I8 and will be positioned within one of said openings 48 to permit movement of the member |811;- wardly of the keeper to decrease -the size ofthe bracelet. The outer surface 88 is rounded or otherwise shaped to ride over the portions 31 of the side wall 38 between said openings 48 as the member I8 i's moved to bracelet constricting position. For the purpose of holding said members I8 and I2 in the desired relative position, the arrangement of the detent 46 in relation to the ratchet, constituted by the spaced openings 48, is such that the member I8 is releasably held against movement to bracelet extending position, and for this purpose the free edge 52 of the inturned portion or detent 48 is disposed to lie within the opening 48 in the normal position of the legs of the U-shaped member. The ratchet constituted by said openings may be withdrawn from operative engagement with the detent 48 by pressing on the ends 88 and 88 of the legs of the member I8 so as to release the edge 82 of the detent 46 from engagement with the portions of the side wall 38 adjacent the openings 48.

While the inherent resiliency of the U-shaped member I8 will be sufficient for releasably locking the detent 48 with the ratchet on the member I8, additional spring means may be provided for that purpose. In the form of the invention here i1- lustrated. said additional spring means comprises a compression spring 62 which encircles a reduced shank portion or pin 84 provided on the For this purend 88 of the member Il. Said spring bears on the end oi a sleeve 88 formed on the end 88 of said member I8 and on the shoulder 83 formed on the end 88. The spring 62 is concealed by a sleeve 88 fixed to a second sleeve 18 which is pivotally connected to the adjacent link 'II of the bracelet. As shown, the pin 84 is loosely received in said sleeve 68 and is movable therein. Thus, by pressing on the ends 58 and 88 at the open end of the U-shaped member, the ratchet, provided in the side wall 38, is disengaged from the detent 48 so that said member I8 can be readily moved outwardly of the keeper I2 to the desired position.

The outward slidable movement of the member I8 is limited by an inturned portion 12 of the keeper I2 in position to engage the closed end portion 28 of the member I8. Said intumed portion 12 ispositioned, also, to engage the inner edge 14 of the wall 34 thereby providing, in addition to the channels in the member I2, additional guide means for the member I8, and further preventing movement of the wall 34 toward the wall 32. By thus preventing lateral movement of the wall 34 in relation to the keeper I2, all of the lateral movement of the open end of the U-shaped member is effective to engage and disengage the pawl and ratchet mechanism.

An important feature of the present invention resides in providing for the positive locking of the foldable sections of the connecter in, folded position. This is accomplished in the form of the invention hereinIillustrated by providing the side walls 16 of the member I8 with cut-turned edge portions 18 so constructed and arranged as to be slidably received within the channels formed in the U-shaped member I8, said channels being defined by the walls 32 and 34 overlying inturned edge portions 48 and 42, respectively, as described above. Said out-turned edge portions 18 terminate, as indicated at 88, in spaced relation to the pivoted end of said member I8. The operation of the'locking device is best shown by Figs. 4 and 5. When the member I8 is adjacent its outermost position with respect to the keeper I2, and when the links I4 and I6 are folded within said keeper, the out-turned end portions 18 are in alignment with the channels in said member I8, the ends 80 of said out-turned edge portions 18 being disposed at a short distance from the adjacent edges of said channels. Upon movement of the member I8 inwardly of the keeper I2, said out-turned edge portions 18 are received within the channels of the member I 8, as illustrated in Fig. 5, and are thereby heid against unfolding. In order to permit unfolding of the members I4 and I8, the slidable member I8 is moved outwardly of the keeper until it reaches the position illustrated in Fig. 4 when the ends of the channels clear the edges 88 of said outturned portions and thereby release said folded sections from engagement with the member I8 l and permit unfolding thereof.

It is thus seen that the construction herein shown and described is' well adapted to accomplish the several objects of the present invention. It will be understood, however, that the invention is capable of other embodiments and that the present embodiment, while preferred, is capable of variations and changes in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principles of the invention. It will be understood, also, that certain parts of the connecter herein shown and described may be used without others. Therefore, we do not v l l I *mail wish to be limited precisely to the construction herein shown, or to all of the elements thereof in combination, except as may be required by the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention. what we desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An extensible connecter for wrist watches,

bracelets, wrist bands and the like, comprising a plurality of sections pivota y connected together in foldable relation, one f said sections comprising two members arranged to slide endwise, one upon the other, said members having interengaging means for holding them in adjusted position independently of the other pivotally connected sections, one of said members having an end portion disposed between the ends of the other of said members and spaced relativelymovable side portions fixed to said end portion and terminating in relatively-movable end portions extending beyond said other member, said side portions being operative' inresponse to relative movement thereof toward each other to release said interengaging means.

2. An extensiblev connecter for wrist watches, bracelets, wrist bands and the like, comprising a plurality of sections pivotally connected together in foldable relation, one of said sections comprising twomembers slidably adjustable endwise, one upon the other, one of said slidable members having relatively movable side portions extending lengthwise of the other of said members, one of said side portions comprising a ratchet engageable with a detent on said other member and movable with one of said side portions laterally of said other member at a point beyond one end of the latter for disengaging said ratchet from said detent. i

3. An extensible connecter for wrist watches, bracelets, wrist bands and the like, comprising a plurality of sections pivotally connected together in foldable relation, one of said sections comprising two members slidably adjustable endwise, one upon the other, one of said slidable members comprising a resilient U-shaped member having relatively movable side portions extending lengthwise of the other of said members, one of said side portions comprising a ratchet engageable with a detent on said other member and movable with one of said side portions laterally of said other member at a point beyond one end of the latter for disengaging said ratchet from said detent. y

4. An `extensible connecter for wrist watches, bracelets, Wrist bands and the like, comprising a plurality of sections pivotally connected together infoldable relation, one of rsaid sections comable with a detent prisingv two members slidably' adjustable'endwise, one upon the other,` one of said slidable members comprising a resilient U-shaped member having relatively movable side vportions extending lengthwise of the other of said members, one of said side portions comprising a ratchet engageon said other member and movable with one of said side portions laterally of said other member at a point beyond one end -of the latter'for disengaging said ratchet'y from said detent, and means engageable with the other side portion of said U-shaped member to prevent lateral movement thereof in relation to said other relatively slidable member. f

5. An extensible connecter for /wrist Watches, bracelets, Wrist bands or the like, comprising two members arranged to slide endwise, one uponthe other, one of said members/ comprising an end portion and spaced longitudinally extending and relatively movable side portions fixed at one end thereof to said end portion and terminating beyond said other member in relatively movable end portions, interengaging means on one of said side portions and on a portion of said other member, said interengaging means being releasable upon relative movement of said end portions in one direction tol release said interengaging means.

6. An yother bracelets, straps', bands and the like, comprising a rst membery and a-second member slidable endwise, one upon the other, said first member having side walls provided with inturned edge 'portions forming guide means for said second member, a. detent on the inner surface of one of said side walls, said second member having a side wall provided with ratchet forming means, said side wall of the second member extending lengthwise beyond one end of said first member and movable in a direction transversely thereof to release said ratchet from said detent, a third member pivotally connected to said first member and foldable into position portions, and

, ment of said second member to telescoped position relative to said first member to lock said third member in folded position.

'1. An extensible connecter' for wrist watches or other bracelets, straps, bands and the like, comprising a first member and a second member slidably adjustable o ne uponithe other, releasable interengaging means on said members for holding them in adjusted position, a'third member pivotally connected to said first member and foldable in relationxthereto, and relatively slidable means on said second and thirdv members operative when said third member is in foldedrposition and when said slidable mem-hers are in a predetermined relative position t`o releasably lock the said third member in said folded position.

8. An extensible connecter for wrist watches or other bracelets, straps, bands and the like, comprising a first member and-a second member slidably adjustable one upon the other, releasable interengaging means on said members for holding them in adiusted position, a third member pivotally connected to said first member and foldable in relation thereto, said third member having outvturned edge portions, andsaid second member having inturned edge portions constructed and arranged "to overlie saidout-turned edge portions when said third member is in folded position and when said second member is in a predetermined position-in relation to said rst member whereby to releasably lock said third member in folded position. if

9. lAn extensible connecter for Wristwatches or other bracelets, straps, bands and the like, comprising a first member and ya second member between said inturned edge means operative upon sliding moveslidably adjustable one upon the other, releas-` ratchet means from engagement with said detent.

11. An extensible connecter for wrist watches, bracelets, wrist bands or the like, comprising two members arranged to slide endwise, one upon the other, one of said members comprising in integral relation an end portion and two spaced longitudinally extending side portions, means for limiting the movement of said end portion of one of said members between the ends of the other of said members, a detent on said other member, ratchet vmeans on one of said longitudinally extending side portions normally in engagement with said detent to releasably hold said relatively slidable members in adjusted position, said longitudinally extending side portions terminating in end portions relatively movable toward each other beyond the adjacent end of the other member to release said ratchet means from engagement with said detent, and means for operatively connecting s`aid relatively movable end -portions to one end of the bracelet.

12. An Aextensible connecter for wrist watches or other bracelets, straps, bands and the like, comprising a first member and a second member movably adjustable in relation to each other, interengaging means on said members for holding them in adjusted positions, a third member pivotally connected to said rst member and foldable in relation thereto, and means operative in one predetermined position of said second member in relation to said first member for releasably locking said third member in folded position and automatically operative to release said third member in another predetermined position of said second member in relation to said first member.

13. An extensible connecter for wrist watches, bracelets, wrist bands or the like, comprising two members arranged to slide endwise, one upon the other, one of said members comprising an end portion and spaced longitudinally extending and relatively movable side portions fixed at one end thereof to said end portion and terminating beyond said other member in relatively movable end portions, interengaging means on one of said side portions and on a portion of said other member, said interengaging means being releasable upon relative movement of said end portion in one direction to release said interengaging means, a member pivotally connected to one of said slidable members and i'oldable thereover, and means for releasably locking said pivotally connected member in folded position operative automatically to release the latter upon relative movement of said slidable members to a predeterminedaextent in one direction.

.T ACQUES KREISLER.

LESLIE KREISLER. 

